Hinsdale D86 holds off on teacher pay, pension referendums

Hinsdale Township High School District 86 does not take action on ballot proposals related to teacher salaries

Hinsdale Township High School District 86 officials say they think contract negotiations with teachers are progressing and chose not to take action on two proposed resolutions that would ask voters to weigh in on teacher salaries and pensions.

Board President Richard Skoda said Tuesday at a special board meeting that board negotiators had backed down on its previous stance against offering a salary schedule and had made an offer that he believed teachers were seriously mulling.

Skoda did not discuss specifics of the proposal, but said, "it was comprehensive and significant. They are taking it seriously, and that's a very good sign."

Following Skoda's update on teacher negotiations, the board did not take action on resolutions for ballot questions related to teacher salaries and tabled another about pensions until Aug. 18.

The two questions are:

Shall the Board of Education of Hinsdale Township High School District 86 continue to offer eligible teachers the opportunity to earn six percent (6 percent) salary increases in each of four (4) school years prior to retirement?

Should the Board of Education of Hinsdale Township High School District 86 continue to offer teachers an automatic salary increase for another school year of service to the District and attainment of additional educational credit?

Given that the board's latest offer to teachers includes a salary schedule, the board declined to discuss the question related to automatic salary increases.

After meeting in closed session, board members voted to table the question related to teacher pensions.

About 10 community members addressed the board about the idea of posing the advisory referendums and most were against it.

"My hope is that proposing an advisory referendum is not just a negotiating tactic," said Ann Mueller of Burr Ridge.

Skoda, however, acknowledged that one of the reasons the referendums were being floated was to influence negotiations.

"One of the ideas is that it really is an incentive to get this done," he said. "If you don't want the voters weighing in on this — get the deal done."

Board member Ed Corcoran said he thinks the ballot question related to pensions is not just a tactic but necessary because local school districts need to lead the way in pension reform. As it currently stands, he said District 86 will pay $700,000 in pension bumps in 2014-15.

"I view pension spiking as a local problem that can be eliminated locally," he said. "We can't blame the state or representatives or anyone else because this is being done locally."

John Czerwiec of Clarendon Hills, who called himself a conservative, disagreed.

"I've never heard of a more ridiculous proposal to put wage and benefits to a referendum," he said. "It is ridiculous and disgusting to go to a referendum. This is not a game."

Roger Kempa of Darien said he thinks the referendums are a good idea, noting that the school board several years ago decided to issue bonds for $25 million for school improvements without posing a ballot question to the community.

Board member Jennifer Planson said she thinks it is the board's responsibility to make decisions on teacher compensation and benefits on the community's behalf.

Carla Feinkind of Hinsdale urged the school board to continue to talk to teachers.

"I would urge you to talk with teachers rather than playing these stunts," she said.

Skoda said the issue of teacher pay being tied to step and lane changes that provide automatic increases may be moot anyway. He thinks the state is moving in the next couple years toward tying teacher pay more to merit and student growth.

The ballot question on pensions was tabled to the Aug. 18 meeting, which is the deadline for submitting questions in order to get them on the Nov. 4 ballot.